The film has promise and gives a glimmer of hope for the DCCU and their attempt to catch up to Marvel in terms of a universe all their own (which they probably won’t do, despite having largely stronger characters than Marvel. Marvel’s set a high bar with some great movies and they have the benefit of being the first to attempt this kind of interwoven filmic universe). Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may not a great film, and it’s not for younger kids, but it is a great first (second?) step into a larger universe that has great potential.

Zootopia continues Disney Animation’s run of great non-musical animated features like Bolt, Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6 and keeps the pace going for great animated films this year, after Dreamworks’ Kung-Fu Panda 3. It expertly tackles some heady topics that the youngest in the audience won’t likely get, but it introduces the ideas of tolerance and against prejudice in a way that adults can explain current issues by way of this film. It’s an unusual step for Disney, but a welcome one and an encouraging sign of what may come next.

Gods of Egypt isn’t just a waste of your time, should you choose to watch it at any point either in theaters or streaming or however. It’s a waste of everyone’s time and effort that made the film. This could have been an entertaining, if brainless, film if there was at least some care put into it and at least one character to latch on to. What it ended up being is a boring, languid slog that isn’t even entertaining to look at, let alone listen to. So no, white-washing isn’t the reason this film will likely do poorly, the fact that it stinks is.

With all the pomp and circumstance that often accompanies an adaptation of classic literature, this film keeps its head and never takes itself too seriously. It knows that the premise is off-beat and revels in how atypical it is while never making a mockery of it either. Steers stays committed to the idea and follows it through to the end. It never aspires to be a great film, simply an entertaining one with something for everyone and on that point, it succeeds. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies may not be remembered as a great literary adaptation, or even particularly remembered at all, but it is a fun and unique picture.

Jane Got a Gun should have been a vibrant western with a strong female protagonist that could have been magnificent. In some ways, it is that (without being magnificent), but it largely falls flat due to over-explanatory writing and indelicate, ham-fisted direction and the obvious lack of the Arrowsmith song Janie’s Got a Gun, anachronistic as it would have been. It’s a shame when talented people like Portman and Edgerton pour a lot of effort into a picture and on Portman’s part championing this all the way through to its eventual release, only to get a poor shadow of what could have been. The film takes itself so seriously that it’s hard to return the favor and we discover that despite the promise of the picture, Jane Got a Gun was not worth the wait.

With so much working in the film’s favor, it’s difficult to believe that it’s not a great movie. It is well written, expertly directed and superbly acted as well as being engaging and entertaining. Yet there is a distance between the audience and the main character that isn’t bridged until the very end, too late to make the connection retroactive. Despite that, Steve Jobs is still a good piece of entertainment that takes the road less traveled by emphasizing the human parts of an iconic figure and leaving out the bits that made him famous.

Leave it to Charlie Kaufman, quite possibly the most original screenwriter in film history, to create a beautiful and moving adult drama and film it as an animated feature. With a sublime script and masterful performances, Anomalisa is a rarity in animation and a gem of filmmaking overall.  Kaufman made the jump into unfamiliar territory for him to make the truest version of his vision come to life and he overwhelmingly succeeds. 

In a time when trans rights and identities are at the forefront of the news cycle, it’s not enough just to make a film about a trans-gender pioneer. That film should allow viewers to connect emotionally with the character and understand that everyone is a person trying to realize their true selves as they see themselves. The Danish Girl does not do that, and it is unfortunate because it is a handsome production and a subject that could have made an enduring and harrowing film. Instead, it misses its mark and ultimately fails to connect.